The Secret of Santa
by SopranoZone
Summary: Tony deals with that inevitable question that every child asks.


**The Secret of Santa**

by _Sopranozone_

* * *

"Daddy?"

Tony looked up at his daughter's call, meeting her eyes across the workshop.

"Yeah?"

"Is Santa fake?"

He almost cursed as he nearly dropped the blowtorch in his hand on his foot, prompting Dummy to come to attention.

"What? Why—Who told you that?"

"So it's true then."

Tony paused at the completely pragmatic look on his daughter's face, reminding him far too much of her mother. He shook his head.

"Its not true. Who told you that?"

"Gillian. She said she saw her dad putting out presents last year, so Santa's not real."

Tony sighed, making his way over to the sink. Anna got up from her perch on the couch and followed him.

"Gillian, huh?"

"Yep. But I get it. I thought about it, and for him to go to EVERY house in the world isn't fezable."

"Feasible," he corrected automatically, reaching for a dry towel, before pausing and regarding her with a slightly incredulous look. "Where did you even learn that word? You're six."

"Mom."

He rolled his eyes, before ushering her up the stairs. "Come on, kiddo. Your mom will be home soon. Lets go eat something."

"If Santa's not real, why did you tell me he was?"

He stopped, crouching low on the stairs to meet her eye.

"Woah woah, I never said the big guy wasn't real. Cuz he is."

"But Gillian said-"

"Gillian is wrong. She just...caught one of the secret steps as to how Santa REALLY works, and jumped to conclusions."

"Huh?"

Tony shook his head, taking his daughter's hand and continued up the stairs.  
"You know how the Santa's at the mall...you know how THEY'RE not the real Santa, right?"

"Yeah. Mom said they were his helpers. Is Mom lying?"

"NO!" He corrected quickly, not even wanting THAT idea to take up the slightest root in his daughter's head. "Mom was right. But the BIGGER part of that...is that Santa has a LOT of helpers.

"Like who?"

"Like me and mom."

Her eyes went wide. "REALLY?"

"Well, not just us," he said with a shrug. "Lots moms and dads. Santa makes the goods, then he sends them out to all the parents of the kids who've been good a couple weeks before Christmas."

Her brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Cuz once it gets closer to Christmas, he's got a lot of stuff to do—I mean, the reindeer gotta be prepped and exercised, he's gotta go over the routes he's taking that year—he does a different one every year. And sleigh maintenance—can't forget that. Santa's got a sweet ride, Anna, don't you doubt it."

"But...why does he send it early? Won't kids find it?"

He could see the cogs turning in her head, possibly thinking of places her OWN presents could be hidden.

"Nah. Santa's got a spell over 'em and such—kids cant find them. But he sends it out early so that the parents can do all the watching—if the kid does bad stuff, they're supposed to send the present back to him, so he can send coal."

"Ooohhhhh..." Anna moved past him to sit on the couch, staring at the Christmas tree and the images of snowfall projected on the windows. Tony moved toward the kitchen, getting out makings for PB&J. She stayed quiet for a few long minutes while he made sandwiches.

"Dad? Will I not get presents 'cause Gillian told me the secret, and I didn't believe in Santa Clause for a while? Not believing in Santa is bad, isn't it?"

Tony looked up, and the look on her face was so genuinely sad it broke his heart. He set the knife on the counter before taking several steps toward her. She got to her feet and met him halfway as he crouched to catch her.

"Oh Anna sweetie, I'm sure Santa knows you're good," he said, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "Everybody doubts sometimes. You are probably his favorite girl in all of California, Ann, don't worry."

She sniffled, nodding into his shirt. After a minute, she pulled back again, she looked confused.

"Will Gillian not get presents now?"

Tony smirked.

"I dunno. That's up to Santa." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Although between you and me...I think whatever you'll get will be a hundred times better. Because you know the secret now, and you're gonna keep it."

"Yeah! I'm good at secrets! Like stuff with Mr Fury and Iron Man! And Mommy's funny thermometer test yesterday!"

"What?"

Anna's eyes went wide. "Oops."


End file.
